Luke 22:1-13 The Plot to Kill Jesus
“Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.
Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.
Jesus and His Disciples Prepare the Passover
Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”
So they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare?”
And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.”
So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.”
The scribes and Pharisees have a major problem: they fear the crowds who have hailed Jesus as Messiah only a few days earlier. How can Jesus be apprehended “in the absence of the multitude?” The appearance of Judas Iscariot is an incredible gift to these terrible men. Why is Judas choosing to betray Jesus? Judas has gotten exactly the same treatment as all the other disciples, even though he has been raiding the poor box and hiding the money for himself. Only in eternity will we know the real answer to that question; meanwhile, it’s enough to know that there are two sets of preparations going on here. Judas is preparing to betray Jesus and Jesus and the disciples are preparing to celebrate Passover.
Jesus’ instructions to his disciples are fascinating, for most men refuse to carry water, feeling that is work for women and children. Many have postulated that the man carrying the water is a member of the Essene sect, where John the Baptist may have spent time, and that the landlord of the house is sympathetic to the Essenes and to Jesus. By now, the disciples are likely well-known in Jerusalem; at any rate, when they tell the landlord they need the guest room so the Teacher can celebrate Passover with his disciples, the landlord complies immediately. This situation is very similar to the response of the donkey owner on Palm Sunday.
The disciples are really clueless as they simply anticipate a nice Passover celebration with Jesus. Do the disciples know what Jesus is facing? Not at all. Are the disciples deliberately ignoring the hostility of the religious authorities? Possibly. But how many of us would love to ignore a deteriorating situation?
John 13 tells us about that last night Jesus shared with his disciples. “Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”
Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.”
Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”
Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”
Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”
So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”
The last night Jesus spends with his disciples, he serves all of them, including Judas. Does Jesus know that Judas is betraying him? Certainly. But Jesus is giving Judas one last chance to repent. Sadly, Judas leaves part-way through the meal, missing the wonderful teaching Jesus gives the rest of the disciples. But Judas has already rejected Jesus, and he doesn’t want anything to dissuade him. If Judas stays, he might repent betraying Jesus.
What about us? Sure, we’re willing to be kind to those whom we love, but how do we treat those who betray us? Jesus washed Judas’ feet; are we prepared to do something similar? Years ago, one of our nurses led a strike that embarrassed the hospital and cost it much-needed support. At that point, I had a choice that was really no choice. As a Jesus follower, I had only one option-I had to treat this man with love and compassion. I have never regretted that decision.
May God help us so that we will minister to all those around us, not merely to those who are easy to love.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to minister to all those around us as You do, blessing the just and the unjust, caring for those who hate us as well as though who love us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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